Working from home is more popular and practical than ever. But don’t just take our word for it. Check out these surprising statistics . See just what an impact remote work makes for workers, employers, the economy and the environment.
- Nine out of 10 remote workers intend to continue working this way for the rest of their careers. Almost everyone surveyed by Buffer wanted remote work, partial or entire, to be part of their future.
- Almost 97 percent of the U.S. workforce believes a flexible job would significantly improve their overall quality of life. According to work-from–home statistics, 82 percent of telecommuters reported less stress compared to workers in a traditional office.
- Stress-relief related to working from home is not only important for individual health, but also for business productivity and profitability. Data demonstrates reduced stress leads to more engaged, happier employees. Eight out of 10 telecommuters said they had higher morale when working from home. Sixty-nine percent of telecommuters reported lower absenteeism.
- Every year, full-time telecommuters save more than $4,000 because of reduced costs. They include commuting (such as gas, passes for public transit, parking and car maintenance), food (store-bought coffees and lunches out), and maintaining clothing for the office.
- More than a quarter of workers consider their commute time wasted.
- A full-time telecommuter can gain back more than the equivalent of 11 workdays a year.
- Some people believe that more women work from home than men. That is because they might stay home to care for children. The reality is the percentage of female and male telecommuters in the U.S. is about equal. Forty-eight percent of the workforce are female, as are 52 percent of telecommuting employees.
- While only seven percent of employers offer work-from-home flexibility, this is a 40 percent increase over the last five years.
- The cost savings are not only for remote workers. Businesses that employ people who work from home are set to save a lot of money, too. In 2016, for example, Dell announced it would expand its telecommuting-and-remote-work initiatives, following $12 million in annual savings from reduced, office-space costs. Remote working saves American Express as much as $15 million a year in real-estate costs. And Aetna Insurance, where 47 percent of the workforce works remotely, saves more than $70 million a year in utilities, housekeeping and real-estate costs.
- Remote work is even good for the environment. Global Workplace Analytics states if everyone with employment compatible with remote work telecommuted 50 percent of the time, this would reduce highway driving by 119 billion miles a year, oil use by 640 million barrels, and emissions by 54 million tons of greenhouse gas.
- Working from home also reduces the need for parking places and road repair. And each year, our current, remote-work population in the U.S. avoids emitting 3.6 million tons of greenhouse gases related to commuting.
- The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) has reported that using electronics to telecommute saves between 9 and 14 billion kilowatt-hours of energy per year.
It’s no wonder the world is turning toward remote work as a go-to solution. It’s good for business, the workforce and the environment.
